Some of the best small school runners in Southeast Iowa got together for the Class 1A State Qualifier cross country meet hosted by Pekin, including six school’s boys and girls teams from the KCII listening area.

The WACO Warriors are sending a trio to state who qualified individually. The Warrior girls have a pair with Josie Dykstra having the highest girls area finish, taking fourth in 20:22. Chloe Glosser of Pekin was the individual winner for the ladies in 18:47. Macie Carter is also on her way to state after a ninth place finish. WACO also had Deedra Graber finish 59^th in the girls field. For the boys, Locken Henderson is on his way to Fort Dodge after a fourth place finish in 17:22. Individual winner of the boys race was Cole Millikin of Pekin in 16:48. As a team, the Warriors had the highest area boys finish, placing third of 15 teams with 77 points, just outside of qualifying as a group. Louisa-Muscatine won the team title with 55 points. Other Warrior boys included Gavin Slagel 12^th, Garrett Landau 18^th, Tristan Luitjens 20^th, Hunter Wilson 23^rd and Wyatt Wilson 69^th.

Hillcrest Academy got two runners through, both on the girls side. Marie Yoder led the way with a fifth place finish in 20:24 with Siena Stanerson also advancing in seventh. The Raven boys were fourth in the team chase with 153 points. Top performers included Calvin Meller 16^th, Mason Wilson 19^th, Jaxson Brokaw 24^th, Braden Hartsock 46^th, Isaac Beachy 52^nd, Lucas Beachy 86^th and Mateo Rodriguez-Yoder 88^th.

Sigourney’s Troy Klett will make the return trip to State after finishing runner-up in 17:14. Other Savages included Levi Myers 26^th, Cole Klett 41^st, Jordan Anderson 47^th, and Isaac Jones 61^st. For the Sigourney girls, Addison Yates was the top runner, finishing as the first out in 11^th at 21:15, followed by Ellie Yates 14^th, Brynn Clarahan 26^th, Cloee Wilson 40^th, and Kia Montgomery 60^th.

The Winfield-Mt. Union boys were 12^th as a team with their score of 285 points. Top man for the Wolves was Bowen Thomson 29^th in 19:49, followed by Brayden Cline 42^nd, Parker Wilson 56^th, Konner Kinneberg 81^st, and Adlin Wilkerson 94^th. The Lady Wolves had Ashlyn Bender finish 48^th in 28:14.

The Highland boys were 15^th with a team score of 365, paced by Kyler Fink 57^th in 21:18, followed by Chase Hickenbottom 76^th, Alan Nass 82^nd, Jackson Robinson 83^rd, and Braden Zywiec 90^th. For the Huskies in the girls race, Grace Bombei had the top time in 20^th at 22:40, followed by Aubrey Hahn 25^th.

The Keota boys did not have a team score. They were led by Chase Haifley 50th in 20:50, followed by Luke Moeller 70^th, Hunter Grandstaff 74^th, and William Greiner 92^nd.

The Class 1A State races will be held Saturday afternoon at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge. KCII will have updates at the top of every hour for local teams, beginning Friday.